Urgent: Say No to Vote-A-Rama Amendments That Target Poor People

Update: The Senate passed S. Con. Res. 8, Sen.
Patty Murray's (D-Wash.) proposed budget resolution, by a vote of 50-49 early Saturday
morning. The Senate considered 101 amendments; all of the harmful
amendments that concerned Bread for the World either failed or were
withdrawn. Thank you to all of our members who contacted their members of
Congress asking for a circle of protection.

*

As budget debate and voting continue in the Senate today, Bread
for the World is deeply concerned about several proposed amendments that would
cut critical programs that serve vulnerable populations.

The Senate budget committee has introduced a proposal to
fund the government through fiscal year 2014. Bread for the World has endorsed
the budget proposal, which includes circle
of protection principles. The resolution will be voted on as part of what is a called
a “fast track process,” which includes a 50-hour debate period that began
yesterday. During debate members are able to offer amendments to the budget,
and many of those amendments will propose cuts to anti-hunger and anti-poverty programs.

A rapid series of
votes on each amendment—known as a “vote-a-rama”— is expected to begin today,
with votes running late into the evening. We must tell our senators that there
will be a political cost if amendments that hurt hungry and poor people are
passed. These amendments not only pose immediate threats, but could be
reintroduced during future budget negotiations.
We must demand that our senators
vote correctly on each of the following amendments. Contact your senators today: call the Capitol
Switchboard at 202-224-3121 or use our toll free number: 1-800-826-3688.

Oppose
Roberts Amendment No. 180: Cuts SNAP by eliminating the Low Income Home
Energy Assistance Program, also called the “heat-and-eat” provision. More than 1 million households with high
utility costs in 15 states and the District of Columbia would see an average
monthly benefit cut of $90.

Oppose
Roberts Amendment No. 181: Cuts SNAP by eliminating the employment and
training program; as many as 2.6 million participants will lose benefits if
they are unable to meet the minimum hours for employment or job training.

Oppose
Roberts Amendment No. 183: Cuts SNAP by cutting categorical
eligibility: A SNAP
applicant is categorically (or automatically) eligible for SNAP if he or she
receives benefits from other specific low-income assistance programs. At least 1 million participants would lose
access to their benefits.

Oppose
Roberts Amendment No. 182: Includes most of the above cuts, plus slashes
an additional $36 billion from SNAP and The Emergency Food Assistance Program
(TEFAP) at a time of continuing high need.

Oppose
Sessions Amendment No. 209: This amendment unfairly targets low-income
immigrant families, even those who are documented residents, by creating a
deficit-neutral reserve fund for prohibiting illegal immigrants or immigrants
granted legal status from qualifying for a refundable tax credit.

Safety-Net

Oppose
Sessions Amendment No. 206: Cuts programs for
hungry and poor people by dramatically reducing “welfare spending.” But even with benefits from means-tested
programs, the typical poor person’s standard of living is 57 percent below that of the
typical middle-income American.

Oppose
Thune Amendment No. 306: A balanced
approach to the deficit-reduction must include both cuts and revenue. The
Thune Amendment reduces revenue proposals in the budget by $500 million.

Oppose
Rubio Amendment No. 228: Like the Thune
amendment, the Rubio amendment creates a structure in which raising revenue in
the budget is difficult. In order for programs that address hunger and
poverty to be maintained in the next decade, tax revenue must be included in deficit
reduction efforts.

If you have questions, please contact your regional organizer. As we
are reminded in Proverbs, we must "speak up, judge righteously, champion
the poor and the needy." Please act today.

Stay Connected

Bread for the World is a collective Christian voice urging our nation’s decision makers to end hunger at home and abroad. By changing policies, programs and conditions that allow hunger and poverty to persist, we provide help and opportunity far beyond the communities in which we live. Bread for the World is a 501(c)(4).